Can a person instantly turn gray from fear

In literature, and in ordinary conversations, you can often find the expression "turned gray from fear." Usually in this case we are talking about some terrible moment, stress or psychological stress. Often this phrase is associated with stories about the war or the atrocities of maniacs. But can a person actually become gray instantly, or is this, after all, an exaggeration?

Human hair has been studied quite well. Their color is due to only two pigments - yellowish pheomelanin and black-brown eumelanin. Any color schemes are just a combination of these two pigments in different ratios. If there is less eumelanin, then the hair is lighter, and if there is enough of it, then the color depends on the concentration of pheomelanin.

If both enzymes are present in negligible amounts, then the hair will be colorless. Gray hair is also associated with the content of these two pigments. When a person finds himself in a very stressful situation, there is a spasm of the blood vessels that feed the hair bulb. Melanins of both types cease to arrive and this instantly affects the color of the hair.

Each hair begins to grow gray, and this process continues on an ongoing basis. Although sometimes it is reversible. Science has known cases when the hair turned gray from fear returned to its original color. High-quality medical care, especially psychotherapeutic, increases the chances of recovery.

But they turn gray early not only from fear and hard life. Gray hair is inherited and if parents began to turn gray at a young age, then the same fate awaits children. Another reason for the appearance of gray hair is hormonal disorders. It can be diabetes mellitus or thyroid gland malfunctions. It also happens that they turn gray from vitamin deficiency or from medications.

Strange as it may sound, but all kinds of diets can provoke the appearance of gray hair. Especially insidious in this regard are nutrition methods associated with limiting protein intake. Melanins include various amino acids and if not enough of them enter the body, then the hair may not receive its share of pigments.

It is impossible to turn gray instantly after seeing or feeling something terrible. At least, such cases are still unknown to science. Moreover, it is impossible to turn gray even in one night. Yes, due to stress, the hair stops coloring instantly. But in order for the hair to become gray, it must grow colorless. The hair dyed before will retain its color.

So where did the numerous stories about instant gray hair come from? It is worth clarifying that if the hair is short, then the process of discoloration becomes noticeable very quickly, literally in a few days. The effect is enhanced if the hair was black and the skin on the head was tanned.

This effect is often noticed in soldiers who wear their hairstyles as short as possible and spend a lot of time under the rays of the sun. One millimeter of gray hair in this case will already be noticeable. It turns out that it is not for nothing that most of the stories about gray hair are connected with military operations.

There is another explanation for the fact that a person turns gray literally before his eyes. Severe stress and associated vascular spasm often cause hair loss. At the same time, a person loses, first of all, normally pigmented hair. The disease called "focal alopecia" is associated with the loss of hair in certain areas of the head. Doctors believe that an autoimmune reaction is to blame. This is when the body's defense systems mistakenly cause damage to the body itself.

Many factors can trigger an autoimmune reaction, and one of them is severe stress. Colored hair, which is most sensitive to changes in nutrition, falls out. At the same time, gray hair is sometimes not affected at all and continues to grow further.

A person starting to turn gray with a strong fright can only have gray hair. But although this contributes to a rapid change in the color of the hair, it also does not happen instantly. Therefore, the stories that someone "turned gray in 5 minutes" are nothing more than an exaggeration.

There are many myths associated with our body today. Some of them are so popular that we believe in them unconditionally.